Six more foot and mouth reports examined by vets

An HGV lorry filled with dead cattle leaves a farm from the latest suspected outbreak in Normandy

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VETS were last night (Thursday) investigating anything up to six new reports of suspected foot and mouth outbreaks in West Surrey.

All the vets were looking at animals on farms within a 10-kilometre surveillance zone set up to prevent the spread of the disease.

So far the number of confirmed cases stands at two, although tests are due back today (Friday) on whether a third farmer’s animals had contracted the virus.

A cull of John Emerson’s 362 animals, including pigs, cattle, sheep and two goats began on Wednesday night on the suspicion they had contracted foot and mouth.

Although the possibility of six new areas being hit by the disease is being examined, a senior Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) official has warned it does not signal an escalation in the crisis.

Diana Linkskey, regional operations director of Defra, said: “We have received reported cases but we have had a number of reported cases in each day.

“Most have turned out to be negligible and those that were not have been dealt with in the way we have seen in recent days.

“These are not suspected cases but come from the surveillance procedures we have in place in which we have asked people to report their suspicions.”

On Wednesday, Mr Emerson was one farmer who reported what he suspected was foot and mouth.

Although his farm is wedged between the two cattle farms hit by foot and mouth earlier in the week, Mr Emerson’s concerns centred on his pigs.

Late last Thursday neighbouring farmer Roger Pride contacted vets about “something badly wrong” with his cattle. This was later confirmed as foot and mouth.

On Monday, John Gunner’s livestock in another nearby field was confirmed as having foot and mouth.

“On Wednesday afternoon we went through the pigs and one had some markings round its foot that we had not noticed before,” said Mr Emerson.

“They were similar to lesions or blisters. This pig was also picked out because it had a slight limp. Others were lethargic and frothing around the mouth.”

After Defra vets assessed Mr Emerson’s animals the cull began. Four RSPCA vans were at the farm before the culling began at around 9.30pm and the installation of flood lights meant the culling could take place throughout the night.

The carcasses were then taken away for incineration early yesterday (Thursday) morning.

“The vets have been extremely thorough, compassionate and caring,” he added.

As other farmers await tests results on their animals for foot and mouth, Mrs Linkskey from Defra said other measures might need be taken to continue to contain the outbreak.

“We continue to look closely at footpaths – there may have to be more restrictions on footpaths,” she explained.

“This could rest on any changes in the risk assessments from vets.”

Disinfecting of vehicles entering and leaving any Surrey farmland not in the affected areas, which is not compulsory at present, could also be introduced.

“It’s something that would be reviewed as we take any steps to reopen movements,” Mrs Linkskey said.

She added that no reports of foot and mouth outside of the 10 kilometre surveillance zone was encouraging.

“I think we can always learn lessons from outbreaks of disease,” she said.

“It’s not just from outbreaks that we look to learn but also from any contingency planning drills.

“If this all happened again tomorrow there would be lessons that we would have learned and some smaller thing perhaps we could do differently. However, we are all extremely pleased there has not been any cases in any other parts of the country.”